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New York Giants Free Agency Grades According To Pro Football Focus

By Kenneth Teape

Nov 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 31-7. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Giants were early winners in free agency, upgrading their defense. But, some of the signings did not grade out highly over at Pro Football Focus.

The New York Giants were extremely aggressive in the early going of NFL Free Agency. With a clear goal in mind to improve their defense, specifically the defensive line, the Giants spent and spent big in the opening hours of free agency. To be exact, they spent over $204 million in a matter of hours, handing out massive contracts to some of the biggest names on the free agent market, including retaining their own players.

The Giants defense looks much improved with the likes of Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison and Janoris Jenkins joining Jason Pierre-Paul as Giants free agent signings thus far this offseason. There have been wide ranging opinions on the Giants’ signings thus far, as some people are high on them while others think the Giants are digging themselves a deep salary hole in years to come.

Where ever you land on that spectrum, there is no denying that the Giants defense looks better now than it did at this time last week. They have added some serious talent to a defense deficient of it, and should be improved. Over at Pro Football Focus, they have been handing out free agent grades for all the signings happening. What did they think about the signings that the Giants made? Check it out below.

First, let’s take a look at Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP signed a one-year deal worth $10.5 million, with $8 million being guaranteed. This is a deal that Pro Football Focus liked a lot, as they gave it a grade of an A. Here is what they had to say about the deal:

"When you see what other edge defenders have got, how can you not like this? Even if JPP never completely adjusts to his injured hand, he proved in 2015 he can still get it done, recording one of his best pass-rushing seasons of his career."

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The Giants seem to have gotten a bargain with the Pierre-Paul deal, as other pass rushers are making a killing on the free agent market in recent seasons. At only $8 million guaranteed, the Giants could have a steal on their hands.

One of the pass rusher that hit it big as a free agent will be joining Pierre-Paul long the Giants’ defensive line in Olivier Vernon. The former Miami Dolphins’ defensive end graded out as the top 4-3 end last season according to pro Football Focus, and he was paid lavishly as a result.

Vernon landed a monster, record setting contract with the Giants last week. He signed a five-year deal worth $82 million, with $52.5 million guaranteed. It was a contract that received a middle of the road grade of B- from Pro Football Focus, as there are a lot of factors at play here. This is what they had to say:

"In three years time, when people are re-grading this free-agent period, Vernon won’t sit here in the middle of the pack. No, he’ll either be right at the top because he delivered, or right near the bottom because he failed to. If he can play close to the way he did in the second half of the 2015 season, then he’ll be considered a success. He was as good as any edge rusher in the league during that stretch, and he did it against top tackles like Dallas’ Tyron Smith. But if he reverts closer to how he played earlier in his career — when he was a solid player, not an elite one — he won’t come close to justifying this contract."

You didn’t have to be a pass rusher to hit it big in free agency this season though. Along with Vernon, the Giants also handed a monster contract to former New York Jets’ defensive tackle Damon Harrison. Harrison will not have to do far, as he landed a huge deal with the Giants.

The Giants made Harrison one of the highest paid defensive tackles in the NFL with a contract of five years and 46.5 million dollars, $24 million of which was guaranteed. That is some steep money for a player that really only plays on two-downs to stuff the run. That is part of the reason that Pro Football Focus gave the signing of Harrison a C.

"We love the play of “Snacks,” who has developed into a one-man wrecking crew in the run game, regularly leading the league in defensive stops against the run. There is no doubt that he makes the Giants better on early downs, but we can’t go higher with our grade because of the money involved. It’s simply too much for a guy who doesn’t get after the passer."

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The last signing that Pro Football Focus graded thus far of the Giants was the one with cornerback Janoris Jenkins. Jenkins and the Giants agreed to a five-year, $62.5 million contract with $28 million guaranteed. It was one that the people at Pro Football Focus were not high on, as they believe the Giants overpaid for the risk taking corner formally of the St. Louis Rams.

"This is just an awful lot of money for a good corner who still gambles way too much. Big plays win games, and while Jenkins can make them, he’s been on the wrong end of more than his fair share. The Giants paid top-10 cornerback money for a guy who barely cracked the top 20 in our 2015 cornerback grades."

While Jenkins will undoubtedly improve the Giants secondary and give them another top option opposite of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jenkins is now paid the seventh highest per year amount of anyone at the position; but he won’t find himself on many, if any, top-10 cornerback lists.

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While some of the players received harsher grades than other, there is no denying that each will help upgrade the Giants defense in some capacity. With an improved defensive line, the Giants should be able to alleviate some of the pressure off the other positions on the defense, and get back to rushing the passer like the organization has been known for throughout it’s history.

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